Reminiscing

This week Andy and Derek discuss five new titles. They start off with Michael DeForge’s latest book, Sticks Angelica, Folk Hero(Drawn and Quarterly). While this is an unusual story, it’s nonetheless one of DeForge’s most conventional stories, at least when compared to many of his previous works. It’s an episodic narrative about its titular character, a multi-talented 49-year-old woman who moves to a Canadian national park to escape a scandal surrounding her rich father’s finances. There she befriends a bunny named Oatmeal, a moose lawyer who goes by the name “Lisa Hanawalt,” a love-struck eel, a “marked” young woman called Girl McNally, dumb geese, proxy ants, a bear chronicler, and the park’s wannabe reporter “Michael DeForge.” Did we mention that this is one of DeForge’s more conventional stories? This title began as a webcomic on Tumblr, and while people can still find the complete comic up and available, the guys strongly recommend that listeners get the new book to fully take in the physical, tactile experience.

Next, the Two Guys with PhDs turn to the four new Hanna-Barbera one-shots from DC Comics: the Adam Strange/Future Quest Special(by Mark Andreyko, Jeff Parker, and Steve Lieber), the Booster Gold/The Flintstones Special(Mark Russell, Rick Leonardi, and Scott Hanna), the Green Lantern/Space Ghost Special(James Tynion IV, Christopher Sebela, and Ariel Olivetti), and theSuicide Squad/The Banana Splits Special(Tony Bedard, Ben Caldwell, and Mark Morales).They both enjoy all four of the titles, although Derek has some reservations about the Suicide Squad/Banana Splits team-up, and Andy feels that the Green Lantern/Space Ghost one is a missed opportunity. But they spend about as much time discussing the short backups in these four specials, with Howard Chaykin’s Ruff ‘n’ Reddy being a standout. Is that any surprise

Jimmy is joined in studio again by the Jon-uary co-host, Jon Hoche! Batman joins the boys in the beginning but has to be sent away early. They chat about last week’s Best of 2016 show and you should go check it out if you missed it! News includes: The Green Lantern Corps movie is in the works, Tangled: Before Ever After will bridge the gap between the movie and the new series debuting on Disney Channel, a new gibbon species has been named after a Star Wars character, Superman gets another costume upgrade, a Marvel Secret Empire tease reveals more, the next X-Men film may be called Supernova, FX’s Y: The Last Man may finally have a script coming, an upcoming Rogue One comic series will expand upon the movie and more!Leave your iTunes comments! 5 stars and nothing but love! Also, get a hold of us!

In the wake of the 2016 presidential election, with a result that many found unexpected and disturbing, Emmet and John discuss various comics that have commented on politics and on government gone bad, including V for Vendetta; X-men: God Loves, Man Kills; Ex Machina; Prez; Transmetropolitan; Nemesis the Warlock; American Flagg; Congressman John Lewis’ March; and more.

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Space Nazi Celebration

Buckle up, because Andy and Derek are back behind the wheel. On this week’s trip, they’re taking you down a road that includes three very different titles. They begin with Paul Dini and Eduardo Risso’s Dark Night: A True Batman Story (Vertigo Comics)…and yes, you did read correctly, the guys are discussing a book with “Batman” in its title. But while the Caped Crusader is a prominent part of the story, this isn’t a standard superhero narrative, but an autobiographical account of a traumatic event in Dini’s life. The guys discuss the manner of Dini’s narration, especially as it’s represented by Risso’s art. In fact, it’s the latter that consumes much of the conversation, as they highlight Risso’s diversity of style to reflect shifts in the storytelling.

Next they look at the first in a five-issue limited series from Howard Chaykin, Midnight of the Soul (Image Comics). This is a story that Chaykin has been wanting to tell for some time, and the guys are happy to see it finally coming to fruition. It’s the tale of Joel, a wannabe writer who is emotionally scarred from the fighting in Germany during the closing days of World War II. In this first issue, Joel discovers that his wife is living a double life, and both Derek and Andy comment on the signature Chaykin elements in the story, including someone getting shot in the head in the middle of a blowjob. But there’s more than just sex and violence in this comic. As the guys reveal, they’re impressed by the tightly woven elements within the premise, the visual patterns and rhythms that Chaykin establishes at the outset, and in anticipation (they hope) of big narrative payoff.

Finally, the Two Guys wrap up with a recent publication from Retrofit/Big Planet Comics, Sophie Franz’s The Experts. This is a short one-shot that blends horror with the fantastic. In the story, a group of individuals, the experts, are studying a mysterious group of aquatic humanoids while their experiences doing so are slowly pulling them apart. This is the first time either Derek or Andy have encountered Franz’s art, but they like what they see and call it one of the most notable titles they’ve read this year. But then again, this is the kind of comic they have come to expect from Retrofit/Big Planet.

“Whiskey dick does have a sound effect.”

This week the Two Guys with PhDs Talking about Comics are excited to have as their guest creator extraordinaire, Matt Fraction. They talk with Matt specifically about his new series through Image Comics, Satellite Sam(with Howard Chaykin on art) and Sex Criminals (with Chip Zdarsky), but they also take the opportunity to discuss other works of his, such as the current Hawkeye series, his Casanovacomics, and graphic novels such as The Five Fists of Science. Perhaps one of the most enlightening moments of the interview concerns issue #2 of Satellite Sam, where Matt points out that you can indeed letter the sound of “whiskey dick.” But comics aren’t all that the guys discuss. Andy, Derek, and Matt also spend a lot of time talking about

It’s a veritable smorgasbord of pop cultural fun! However, Andy comes away from the experience a changed man, wondering if his love of everything Dean Martin has all been for naught. “Nothing gold can stay, Ponyboy.”

THE BEST STAR WARS PODCAST FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF THE ORIGINAL MARVEL COMICS SERIES!!

NOW CO-FEATURING — “THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF INDIANA JONES”!!

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And now, friends, the end fast approaches as Chris and Scott begin the final leg of their journey through the Marvel Comics Star Wars universe!!

This episode, the Freaks take a look at Star Wars #101, in which we go on an otherwordly My Little Pony adventure with Han Solo, and something smells a bit fishy in Star Wars #102 when Luke and Lando return to the water world of Iskalon!!

Didja know…? YOU can sponsor an episode of this or any other of your favorite TTF affiliated shows? That’s right! Simply click the PayPal link, donate ANY amount at all, tell us which show you’re choosing and what message, if any, you’d like us to read on your behalf, and YOU will be an Official Sponsor of that show’s very next episode, with your message read in the show’s opener!! It’s that easy!! And there is NO MINIMUM DONATION!!Be a show sponsor TODAY!!

More than 30 years ago, Frank Miller set the comics world on fire by turning Marvel’s swashbuckling Daredevil title into a noir series with ninjas. More importantly, he took a serious look at some issues of crime and punishment, and his conclusions tended to veer left politically. Fast forward to his later career, and the views he expresses would be right at home on Fox News. What happened?

Tim’s brother Paul isn’t sure he can answer that question, but he finds that early Daredevil run to still be very worthy of notice today, so much so that he’s writing a book, for an academic publisher, about it. He fills Tim and Mulele in on his thoughts as he prepares to write…

Episode 91
While one bomber suffered a horrible tragedy, his anger is amplified from the misinterpretation of Beezus and Ramona, thus a debate begins over who is the better children’s author, In one corner you have Margaret and Fudge from the Mind of Judy Blume and in the other is the Shithead dad and Henry Huggins from the Head of Beverly Cleary. Then we break into comics, lots of comics. Death of Dracula and X Men 1, Pluto Volume 1 & 2, Secret Avengers 2, Hellblazer 267 & 268, Action Comics 690, Sandman, GI Joe Cobra 5, Atlas, Secret Six, Thunderbolts, Brightest day, Titans, Blade, And i actually think we talked about more. There is a nice debate about the integration of DCU Characters into vertigo and vice versa. I am slightly tired cause i was balls deep last night, (is that TMI).

Join Scott H. Gardner and a SURPRISE MYSTERY GUEST as they travel ‘Back to the Bins’ to re-discover and re-connect with that unique brand of fun and excitement that can only truly be found in good ol’ fashioned random Comic Book back issues!!

In this MASSIVE episode, the freaks are joined by Josh Baker and Michael Bailey as they talk about all things Indy! All four movies, video games, comics, music, toys, books it’s all crammed in here! This podcast simulates the Indiana Jones experience so well that you will swear you are being dragged on your belly behind a speeding truck!

Join Michael Bailey and Scott H. Gardner as they travel ‘Back to the Bins’ to examine the life and publishing history of the character Marvel Comics once called “the FIRST and GREATEST superhero of them all!”

Join Scott H. Gardner and a SURPRISE MYSTERY GUEST as they travel ‘Back to the Bins’ to re-discover and re-connect with that unique brand of fun and excitement that can only truly be found in good ol’ fashioned random Comic Book back issues!!